MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, on Marine Mammal Rescue Day, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) reintroduced the Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act, legislation to strengthen protections for marine mammals and the coastal ecosystems they depend on from the growing threat of the climate crisis.

“Marine mammals are facing unprecedented threats,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “The climate crisis is rapidly reshaping our oceans and putting whales, sea otters, polar bears, manatees, and other species at risk.

“For decades, the Marine Mammal Protection Act has served as a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to protecting marine mammals. But the law has not kept pace with the accelerating impacts of climate change. My bill updates that framework by requiring federal agencies to directly address the growing risks climate change poses to marine mammals.

“From sea-level rise and ocean warming to habitat loss and declining biodiversity, the challenges facing our coastal ecosystems are intensifying. These are not distant threats. They are happening now, and they are driven by human activity.

“In coastal communities including Ventura County, we have seen firsthand how fragile these ecosystems have become. Protecting marine mammals means protecting the health of our oceans and the future of our planet.

“We have a responsibility to act. This legislation takes a critical step toward building climate-resilient ocean ecosystems and ensuring marine mammals can survive and thrive for generations to come.”

Background 

The Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop climate impact management plans for marine mammal species most vulnerable to climate change. These plans would identify and implement strategies to mitigate climate-driven risks and improve long-term species resilience.

Read the text of the bill here.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Climate Crisis, Environment

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is praising the 7^th Grade class of students at Matafao Elementary School and their teachers after her visit to the school last week.

Group Photo at Matafao Elementary

“I was so impressed by these students, and their excellent questions about government, and I know they are a result of the good work of their teachers,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “My message to them is to keep learning and keep asking those good questions. I’m always so optimistic about our future whenever I speak with our young people. This was a visit to one grade within one school, but I know they reflect the good work of our islands’ schools and teachers. Congratulations to these students and teachers, and it was a pleasure to have this insight into your school day. Thank you to the educators for taking time away from their regular schedule, and I’m so glad I was able to visit before I was called back to Washington.” 

Students asked questions about topics including the Bill of Rights, the U.S Constitution, the three branches of government, Congress, and bills becoming laws. The educators include Principal Atalina Coffin, Vice Principal Antonina Godinet, and teachers Ms. Salevu Lole-Allen, Mr. Nikolao Alo, and Ms. Tiresa Lauama. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming notice from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of a grant of $140,123 for the American Samoa Community Cancer Coalition, and extending her congratulations.

“Thank you Dr. Danielle Eakins for this research effort regarding the care for our people going through Alzheimer’s and related dementia symptoms,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Dr. Eakins put in the work to propose and qualify for this project to strengthen our compassionate response and understanding for a loved one going through such symptoms, and the effects on the family and caregiver. Thank you to American Samoa Community Cancer Coalition, as well as HHS and National Institute on Aging.”

The ongoing project is described as a culturally grounded approach to understanding and improving Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for American Samoa’s family caregivers.

This non-competing continuation grant continues research on aging, the second year of a three-year project. This funding is categorized as a small research grant project, and through HHS’s National Institute on Aging, which is one of the 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). HHS is led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and NIH by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), and U.S. Representatives Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), and Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) pressed Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, on their illegal proposal to shutter the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Prince George’s County. In their letter, the lawmakers highlighted the vital purpose that BARC serves for farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and across the country, which in turn supports Americans’ health and our economy. The lawmakers also stressed the many ways in which the USDA proposal to shutter BARC violates the law and Congress’ clear intent that it remains operational. They went on to criticize the Secretary and Deputy Secretary for their failure to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to demonstrate the impact of this proposal on taxpayers and the Department’s productivity, noting that large-scale agency relocations or closures regularly have negative effects on both. In the apparent absence of that information and the legal concerns that the lawmakers raised, they pressed USDA to assess whether successfully relocating research activities to other facilities is even possible without jeopardizing ongoing work and asked for answers to a series of questions on the proposed closure of BARC – including a detailed cost-benefit analysis and the expected impact on employees, among other topics.

“The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to decommission the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is illegal and deeply harmful to American farmers and the nation’s food security. BARC is among the largest and most influential agricultural research facilities in the world, and its research has helped enhance the productivity of American agriculture, stop the spread of harmful pests and diseases, and improve human nutrition. In addition to nationally oriented research, BARC also provides regionally specific agricultural research that benefits the 83,000 farms located throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed; the loss of BARC jeopardizes $10 billion in agricultural productivity in this region alone,” the lawmakers began.

“The April 23rd proposal to shutter BARC is not only deeply unwise; it is illegal. By moving forward with decommissioning BARC, USDA is violating a number of provisions laid out in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act, enacted into law on November 12, 2025, including a clear directive to USDA to keep BARC open,” they stressed, going on to list the provisions within the appropriations law of which USDA has run afoul.

The lawmakers also criticized the USDA leaders for failing to provide a public accounting of the costs of decommissioning BARC: “USDA must conduct an Inspector General-reviewed cost-benefit analysis of the proposed decommissioning of BARC that compares the net benefit of proposed decommissioning to moving forward with the BARC 2024 Master Plan that would consolidate BARC operations on the current site.” They went on to outline critical criteria that must be included in such an analysis for a full understanding of the effects of a potential decommissioning.

“As the significant public comment the USDA received on this plan indicates, closure of BARC would have catastrophic consequences for farmers across the country and particularly in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The USDA must comply with clear Congressional directives and work with Congress on the long-term future of BARC and its vital mission,” they concluded.

Text of the letter, including the questions posed to Secretary Rollins and Deputy Secretary Vaden, can be viewed here and below.

Dear Secretary Rollins and Deputy Secretary Vaden,

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to decommission the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is illegal and deeply harmful to American farmers and the nation’s food security. BARC is among the largest and most influential agricultural research facilities in the world, and its research has helped enhance the productivity of American agriculture, stop the spread of harmful pests and diseases, and improve human nutrition. In addition to nationally oriented research, BARC also provides regionally specific agricultural research that benefits the 83,000 farms located throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed; the loss of BARC jeopardizes $10 billion in agricultural productivity in this region alone. Congressional intent to keep BARC open is clear and received bipartisan support in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act. Additionally, of the public comments USDA received about BARC, including from Maryland Farm Bureau, 92% expressed strong opposition to closure of this critical agricultural research facility, illustrating the overwhelming support for the continued operation of BARC.

The April 23rd proposal to shutter BARC is not only deeply unwise; it is illegal. By moving forward with decommissioning BARC, USDA is violating a number of provisions laid out in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act, enacted into law on November 12, 2025, including a clear directive to USDA to keep BARC open. More specifically, in this law Congress:

• Made clear its intent for BARC to continue to operate by including the following language in the report accompanying the bill: “the agreement supports the continued operation of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center.”
   
• Further clarified this intent by providing USDA with $6 million in funding to spend on construction and facilities improvements at BARC to implement building and infrastructure updates that support BARC’s continued operation.
   
• Prohibited closure or consolidation of the resources or locations of any existing USDA Agricultural Research Service labs and facilities without the prior notification and approval of the Appropriations Committees of the House and Senate – approval which has not been obtained by USDA.
   
• Barred USDA from reorganizing or relocating an office or employees without the prior notification and approval of the Appropriations Committees of the House and Senate – approval which has not been obtained by USDA

It is extremely troubling that, instead of working with Congress on a sensible plan to modernize BARC, the Department is pursuing an abrupt, politically-motivated, and short-sighted effort to shutter a facility of critical importance to U.S. agriculture and food security. Since 2016, USDA has invested at least $174 million in BARC facility upgrades and repairs, and was in the process of a strategic consolidation effort laid out in the 2024 BARC Master Plan. In this plan shared with our offices, USDA laid out a strategy to centralize BARC’s work in eleven main laboratories and office facilities while other facilities would be decommissioned.

The Department has also failed to provide evidence that the benefits of decommissioning BARC outweigh the costs. For example, the Department lacks legal authority to dispose of BARC land, which limits the ability to recoup any cost through selling or leasing the land, which means that costs will continue to accrue at BARC even if employees and labs are relocated. In addition, this Administration knows that relocations are costly — resulting in productivity declines, the loss of talented staff, and the undermining the agency’s ability to effectively carry out its core mission. These losses translate to further economic costs for taxpayers as every dollar invested in USDA research delivers less benefit.

USDA must conduct an Inspector General-reviewed cost-benefit analysis of the proposed decommissioning of BARC that compares the net benefit of proposed decommissioning to moving forward with the BARC 2024 Master Plan that would consolidate BARC operations on the current site. This analysis should include an assessment of the costs associated with the relocation of BARC research activities – including relocating or acquiring new research materials and equipment, as well as the costs of relocating personnel. The analysis should also include the costs of any upgrades that would be needed at the facilities slated to receive BARC research activities in order to accommodate BARC projects. In addition, before any relocation decisions about BARC research are made, USDA must conduct viability studies to ensure that the facilities receiving BARC research projects have the appropriate capacity, equipment, and expertise to successfully carry out the projects. This is the bare minimum level of transparency that US taxpayers are owed for a proposal that is meant to enhance government efficiency.

Please provide the requested information and answers to the questions below by May 1, 2026:

1. Please provide a detailed cost estimate for the decommissioning of BARC, including employee and equipment relocation costs, and the cost of any upgrades that will occur at other facilities in order to accommodate relocated BARC research.
    
2. Please provide a detailed timeline of proposed decommissioning activities and a detailed description of the plans for relocating each research activity currently conducted at BARC.
    
3. Have you conducted viability studies that assess, for each BARC research project that will be relocated, whether the USDA facility receiving a given BARC research project will be able to successfully accommodate the research?
        a. If so, please provide detailed information about those assessments.
        b. If not, will you commit to doing so before making any decisions about relocating BARC      research activities?
    
4. Please provide a detailed spend plan for the FY26 appropriations made to BARC.
    
5. Has USDA meaningfully consulted with staff and union representatives about this decommissioning plan? If so, how many staff does USDA expect to lose as a result of this plan?
    
6. Will any BARC employees be terminated as part of the proposed decommissioning?
    
7. Are there plans to offer relocation assistance or other retention benefits in order to retain employees at other USDA facilities?
    
8. How will long-term, place-based research, such as the Lower Chesapeake Bay Long Term Agricultural Research Network, continue if BARC is decommissioned?
    
9. How will the USDA Agricultural Research Service support the 83,000 Chesapeake Bay watershed farms if BARC is decommissioned?
    
10. Has USDA assessed the impact that BARC decommissioning will have on USDA’s agricultural research work? If so, please provide a detailed analysis of that assessment.

As the significant public comment the USDA received on this plan indicates, closure of BARC would have catastrophic consequences for farmers across the country and particularly in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The USDA must comply with clear Congressional directives and work with Congress on the long-term future of BARC and its vital mission.

Sincerely,

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that Christ Community Health Services will receive a grant of $6,832,768 from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services to operate its programs for its economically or medically vulnerable patients.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“This substantial grant will help Christ Community Health Services meet the medical care challenges of those Memphians most in need. I am pleased to see this funding address the needs of the underprivileged. I will continue fighting to improve access to health care, including for passage of Medicare for All.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)

Plan would use federal tax code to aid school-rehab projects and help address America’s $85 billion funding gap

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)

Today, U.S. Representatives Adrian Smith (R-NE-03) and Doris Matsui (D-CA-07) introduced the PI Post Acute Access Act to expand access to life-saving care for individuals with primary immunodeficiencies (PI). Their bipartisan legislation would create a dedicated payment within Medicare for Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) to provide intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatments onsite. This would prevent dangerous treatment delays, reduce avoidable hospitalizations, and ensure vulnerable patients get the care they need when and where they need it.  

“Outdated billing measures should not prevent vulnerable patients from receiving lifesaving care when and where they need it. I am proud to join Congresswoman Matsui in introducing our bipartisan PI Post Acute Access Act to cut red tape and ensure that PI patients have access to the critical care they need,” said Smith.

“Patients living with primary immunodeficiencies should not have to fight through red tape to get the care they need to stay healthy and safe. For many families, timely access to IVIG treatment can mean the difference between stability and a serious medical crisis. I have long worked to protect access to these life-saving therapies, and the PI Post Acute Access Act builds on that commitment by helping ensure Medicare beneficiaries can continue receiving essential treatment in nursing facilities. No one should be left behind simply because of where they are receiving care,” said Matsui.

“For Medicare beneficiaries living with primary immunodeficiency, access to life-saving IVIG therapy should never depend on where they receive care. This bill ensures that patients who need skilled nursing services are not forced to choose between essential care and the medication they need to survive. By creating a targeted payment solution, Congress can protect a vulnerable group and uphold the promise of equitable access for all patients, including those living with a rare condition,”said Jorey Berry, President & CEO of the Immune Deficiency Foundation.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

 

HALES CORNERS, WI – Today, Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), and Tom Tiffany (WI-07), introduced the Fair Air Standards Act addressing Southeastern Wisconsin’s classification as an Ozone Nonattainment Area.

Reps. Steil, Grothman, Tiffany at today’s press conference

“Families in Wisconsin shouldn’t be paying for pollution originating from outside the state, in places like Chicago,” said Congressman Steil. “The Fair Air Standards Act ensures that Wisconsin’s non-attainment status is tied to activity originating in our state not those in other areas. Our bill reduces burdens for families, employers, and workers across Southeast Wisconsin while holding out-of-state polluters responsible for their actions.”

Reps. Steil and Tiffany discussing emissions testing in Hales Corners with shop manager

“Wisconsin communities should not be financially punished for pollution they did not create,” said Congressman Fitzgerald. “The Fair Air Standards Act gives states a fair chance to prove when air quality problems are caused by emissions from outside their borders and ensures EPA bases its decisions on facts. This legislation will restore fairness for our region and help us move forward without unnecessary federal barriers.”

“This is a topic we’ve been working on for 25 years, as the poorly drafted Clean Air Act has punished industries in Wisconsin, making them less competitive, especially compared to other states and factories around the world,” said Congressman Grothman. “I’m proud to be championing this bill alongside Congressman Steil to restore the ozone attainment designation that Wisconsin rightfully deserves.”

“Because of outdated federal rules, hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin drivers in seven counties are forced to complete emissions tests every two years just to renew their registration. Wisconsin families should not be punished with costly and time-consuming mandates because of pollution drifting in from Illinois and Indiana. Four decades later and with cleaner vehicles on the road, it is time to end this non-attainment zone mandate and stop burdening drivers with a system that cannot prove it works,” said Congressman Tom Tiffany.
 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

“Our hardworking train dispatchers rely on technology to keep trains moving safely and efficiently,” said Rep. Gillen. “Unfortunately, dispatchers are often forced to work quickly and creatively to avoid disaster due to errors in these unregulated products. The bipartisan Safe Tracks Act will address this dangerous issue by allowing the Federal Railroad Administration to oversee this software and hold vendors accountable for their products’ safety and reliability. I’m proud to introduce this important legislation to guarantee the safety of rail passengers and our national security.”

“Safe, reliable rail service is essential to our economy, but outdated oversight of dispatching technology is putting workers, passengers, and supply chains at risk. This bipartisan legislation gives the Federal Railroad Administration the authority to hold vendors accountable and ensure these systems meet strong safety standards, while addressing growing cybersecurity threats,” said Rep. Lawler.
 

“Rail safety must remain a top priority for Congress. This bill takes a targeted, common-sense approach to ensure that centralized train-dispatching systems and traffic control boards operate under the same high safety standards as the rest of our rail network. Protecting lives and keeping freight moving safely is essential for American families and commerce,” said Rep. Rulli.

Railroads use computer-based dispatch systems from vendors to move and coordinate train traffic and to provide protection to employees working on tracks. New dispatching systems and updates to existing software are currently implemented without any oversight, testing, or regulation by the FRA.

Moreover, when software problems are identified, including problems critical to the safe movement of trains, the vendors who build the systems are often slow to offer fixes. This forces the train dispatchers responsible for operating these systems to troubleshoot the technology under live conditions and use workarounds until safety defects are corrected.
 

“This bipartisan legislation is an important step toward improving the reliability, accountability, and oversight of train dispatching systems. Our members work tirelessly every day to help ensure trains move safely and efficiently across the country. They deserve systems that support that mission, and the public deserves confidence that these critical technologies meet appropriate safety standards. I thank the members who introduced this bill and look forward to working with them to advance this important proposal,” said Ed Dowell, President of the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA).

“Train dispatchers work tirelessly to ensure the safe and timely movement of passengers and cargo, and the dispatching software systems they rely on must support this mission rather than undermine it. As America’s largest transportation labor federation, we support this bipartisan legislation that will provide necessary oversight and enforceable standards for train dispatching systems and software. Communities and workers are at risk when these safety-critical dispatcher software systems lack minimum safety standards,” said Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD).
 

“Requiring federal oversight of rail dispatching systems is a critical step for keeping passengers and railroad workers safe,” said John Feltz, Transport Workers Union (TWU) Railroad Division Director. “The TWU strongly supports this legislation and urges its swift passage. System defects, errors, and cyberattacks are all threats that the FRA should have the authority to identify, fix, and protect.”
 

“Systems that interact with vital signal systems, such as back office dispatching systems, should be covered under the current signal regulations; not following this logic presents a real safety issue,” said Mike Baldwin, President of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS).
 

“Our members rely on our dispatchers and their systems every day to safely move trains and protect track workers. When these dispatchers are stretched too thin or are given new, unfamiliar programs to run in the name of profits and automation, it’s our conductors and engineers who are left managing the risk in real time. The Safe Tracks Act is a commonsense step to ensure these technologies are properly tested, regulated, and held to the highest safety standards before they are implemented on our nation’s rail networks. SMART-TD thanks Representatives Laura Gillen, Mike Lawler, Mike Rulli, and Chuy García for recognizing that America’s railroaders are not lab rats. What we do is not a game, and our crews cannot be used as crash test dummies while our Dispatchers are distracted by playing a game of Whack-O-Mole, finding fixes to the problems brought by the “new and improved” systems put in place prematurely. The stakes are too high. The Safe Tracks Act recognizes this as a fact and offers our railroaders the protections we deserve,” said Jared Cassity, National Safety and Legislative Director, International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD).
 

“Train dispatchers play an important role keeping the public and our members safe,” said Matt Hollis, National President, Transportation Communications Union (TCU). “It’s critical that the software train dispatchers rely on is safe and effective. We are proud to endorse the bipartisan Safe Tracks Act to make sure the government has the ability to keep dispatching systems for railroads and transit systems around the country safe.”
 

The legislation is endorsed by: American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA), Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), Transportation Workers Union (TWU), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Mechanical Division (SMART-MD), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers- Transportation Division (SMART-TD), Transportation Communications Union (TCU), National Conference of Fireman and Oilers (NCFO, SEIU), Brotherhood of Maintenance Way Employees Division (BMWED), and the International Association of Machinists (IAM).

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to Trump and Congressional Republicans’ plan to give another multi-billion dollar blank check to ICE, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens issued the following statement:

“Two weeks ago, Trump said we don’t have enough money for Medicare, Medicaid, and childcare. This week, Republicans are proposing billions more for foreign wars and ICE.

“This budget does nothing to address the high costs squeezing hardworking Michigan families. Instead, it writes another blank check to an agency that is out of control and needs to be reined in.

“Republicans already gave ICE $75 billion last year, and we saw what happened: ICE agents terrorized our communities and two Americans were killed. Trump’s ICE does not need more taxpayer dollars. That’s why I introduced legislation to redirect ICE’s slush fund to local law enforcement. Michiganders deserve better.”

 

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